


Home

by quiet_rebel



Category: Reprisal, Reprisal (2019)
Genre: Age Difference, Angst, F/M, Older Man/Younger Woman, Porn with Feelings, Sexual Tension, Shameless Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:01:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21817825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quiet_rebel/pseuds/quiet_rebel
Summary: "This world is just so tiny. You ever feel that? You know? That all of this is just what?""Home. It's home."
Relationships: Joel Kelly/Meredith Harlow
Comments: 10
Kudos: 48





	Home

**Author's Note:**

> Me at the start of this fic: I'm gonna write something short and sweet.  
> Me at the end of this fic: Well, that was fucking dirty. 
> 
> For all age gap lovers out there! I'm looking at you, sethkate fans. Enjoy!
> 
> Feedback is fuel.

Joel took a drag of his cigarette and surveyed the Bang-A-Rang. The place was filled to capacity tonight. If Burt was around, he'd be happy as hell. Not only because of the business, but because it was Meredith's big night. The audience was practically salivating to watch Burt Harlow's daughter make her debut as a pinup. 

At the bar, Joel finished his beer and stubbed his cigarette out into an ashtray before he made his way to the back where Queenie would be getting the girls ready for tonight's show. As soon as he entered the dressing room, a hush fell over everyone. He never came back unless there was trouble. 

“Well, well, what's the meaning behind this visit?” Queenie asked. She wore a bright green wig and a white tuxedo. 

Joel scanned the room for Meredith. It smelled like sweat and hairspray back here. “Where is she?”

Queenie crossed her arms, a look of disdain on her face. “Why?”

Just then, Meredith emerged from behind a curtain wearing a black corset over fishnet stockings. Her gaze automatically fixed on him. Her red hair was down in loose curls and her face was painted with dark eyeliner and lipstick. She didn't look nineteen.

Queenie took one look at them and cleared the room. She poked a finger hard into his chest. “Don't even think about putting any thoughts inside her pretty little head. She goes on tonight no matter what.”

Joel stared down at her finger until she dropped it and left him alone with Meredith. Once again, he examined her wardrobe and make-up. He remembered the girl in overalls, who used to quietly read books about wizards and magic while he and her father counted guns and money inside the vault. 

Meredith sat in front of her vanity, reaching for her hairbrush. “Did you come to wish me luck, Joel?” 

He didn't remember when he stopped being Uncle Joel.

“Or did you come to change my mind?” she asked him through the mirror.

Joel scratched his beard, wondering what Burt would want him to do in this situation. 

“Why do you want to do this, Meredith?” he said. 

She casually ran her brush through her hair. “I already explained it to Queenie. I want to start pulling my own weight around here.”

“You don't have to do that.”

_You're Burt's daughter._

Although he didn't say it, they both knew it was implied. 

Meredith's steely green eyes met his face in the glass. “I want to.”

Joel recognized that look. It was the same one she gave him when she wanted him to take her on a ride in his car, or when she wanted him to buy her cigarettes, or when she needed help sneaking into town. 

And like all those times, he gave in to her.

_Fuck it._

With a heavy sigh, he removed the flask from his back pocket. He unscrewed the top and took a drink of the whiskey before passing it to Meredith. 

“Cheers, then,” he said.

Raising a toast to him, Meredith smiled and took a swig from the flask, swallowing the liquor like it was water. She smacked her red lips and rose from her chair, returning the flask to him. Unlike the rest of the room, she smelled like strawberries and champagne. 

She stood right under his nose and lifted her gaze to his face, her green eyes now soft and shiny. Joel never knew her mother, but he knew Meredith must have inherited her good looks from her mama and not from Burt's ugly mug. Judging by how the corset hugged all her curves, he had no doubt she was going to bring the house down tonight. 

“So, you gonna wish me luck or what, Joel?” she asked in a teasing voice. 

“No.” He brushed a red curl from her bare shoulder and kept his hand on her warm skin.

Meredith raised a brow. “No?”

“You don't need it,” he said.

Joel thought about the all the people waiting outside to catch a glimpse of her. She didn't know it yet, but she had already won. 

**

It didn't take long for Meredith to become queen of the Bang-A-Rang. A year later, she was still packing the place. Joel only knew one other pinup who could gather a crowd like that—and she was long gone. Instead, it was another Harlow casting her spell every night. 

And every night, Joel watched, along with the audience, as Meredith danced on stage. Her hips swayed to the music, hypnotizing the entire room. Left. Right. Left. Right. She seduced the crowd with just one look as she removed her clothing, showing enough skin to keep it classy, but enough to still get every hotblooded man's heart racing. 

Including his own heart, as much as he didn't want to admit it. 

According to Queenie, some of the girls didn't like all the attention Meredith got on and off the stage just because Burt was her father. And they weren't afraid to show it. More than once, a Brawler or two had to step in and break-up a fight in the dressing room between Meredith and another pinup. 

“Can't you talk to her?” Queenie asked him one night after Meredith punched a girl so hard she lost a tooth. 

“What do you want me to do?” he said. 

“For starters, you can stop teaching my star pinup how to throw a punch,” she said. “I thought Joel the Mover was retired.”

He had only taught Meredith how to fight so she could defend herself against the creeps. How was he supposed to know that she was going to use it against the other dancers?

“That's not my problem,” he said. 

Queenie responded by shaking her head and muttering, “Fucking Burt.”

Fucking. Burt.

He should be here cleaning up this mess and taking care of his daughter. Joel tried not to think about the fact that Agnes was watching his own daughter at this very moment while he was dealing with all this shit. 

“She won't listen to me, anyway,” Joel said to Queenie. “Meredith...she's—”

“Stubborn? Rebellious? Out of control?”

“Yes.”

And too independent for her own good. She didn't even come to him anymore for cigarettes or a ride into town. Instead, she got Matty and the other Phoenixes to do her dirty work for her.

“Well, you better talk to her, and soon,” Queenie warned. “Before things really get out of hand.”

It turned out he was already too late. 

A few days later, Bru pulled him aside during another packed night at the Bang-A-Rang and showed him the capsule. 

“Where did you get that?” Joel asked, taking the Scratch from him.

“Some accountant said he bought it from her,” he said, gesturing to the stage where Meredith was dancing. She smiled at Joel, swinging her hips the way he liked it.

He waited until Meredith finished her number before meeting her backstage. She was putting on a red silk robe over her black bodice when he found her.

She grinned at him. “What did you think of the show?” 

He ignored her question and pulled out the Scratch. “Care to explain?”

“What is that?” she asked. 

“You know exactly what this is, Meredith.”

She widened her eyes, playing innocent. “No, I don't.”

Joel stared at her, waiting for her to break, but she kept her stance.

“You can't sell this shit here,” he said. “If Burt finds out—”

Meredith scoffed at his threat. “And how exactly is he going to find out, Joel? I mean, when was the last time you talked to him? When was the last time _anyone_ talked to him?” She tightened the robe's sash around her waist. “How about you mind your own fucking business and leave me the hell alone?”

When she stormed off, he didn't follow.

Queenie appeared in the hallway at the commotion. “What was that about?”

His heart was racing for all the wrong reasons. “I told you she wouldn't listen to me.”

**

For the next week, Joel left Meredith the hell alone like she wanted. Lyla, on the other hand, wanted to pay her a visit. 

“I want to tell her my new story about Eunice the Unicorn,” she said after they had breakfast. 

So, he walked his daughter down to Meredith's trailer. A part of him wanted her to not be home. But when she came to the door, the other part of him was relieved she wasn't out running around with the Phoenixes. Outside of the Bang-A-Rang, she looked just as beautiful in a white halter top and navy blue shorts. 

Meredith seemed to ignore him, instead choosing to smile brightly at Lyla. “Hello, Short Stack.”

Lyla's smile was just as bright. “Hi, Meredith. May we come in?” 

“Sure, sweetie.” She opened the door for them, her smile fading as she met his eyes. So, she was still pissed at him.

Meredith plopped down on the couch as Lyla curled up next to her. Joel remained near the door, leaning against the wall.

“I had a dream about you last night,” Lyla told Meredith. 

She chuckled. “Really? What was it about?”

“I can't really explain it, so I put it into a story. I call it Eunice the Unicorn. You see, Eunice is the only unicorn in her family who can't fly. It isn't that she doesn't have any wings—she does. In fact, they're the biggest set of wings in all the land, full of beautiful white feathers, but they're the reason why she can't fly. The wings are holding her down.”

Joel smiled to himself. When Lyla paused, he knew the story was getting good. 

Meredith was just as engrossed. “Go on.”

“So, one day, Eunice goes to see the witch who lives in the woods, and she asks the witch—” 

“Eunice can talk?” Meredith asked.

Lyla frowned. “Yes, now can you let me?”

Meredith's mouth dropped. “Whoa, attitude”

“Lyla...” Joel started.

“I'm sorry, Daddy-O,” she said. “You know how I hate being interrupted when I'm telling my stories.”

Joel shrugged. “She does.”

Meredith zipped her mouth shut with her fingers and gestured for Lyla to continue. 

Lyla tapped her chin. “Where was I?”

“Eunice went to see the witch in the woods,” Joel said.

“Thanks, Daddy-O.” Lyla clapped her hands. “Eunice went to see the witch because she has a request to make. She wants to fly, but her wings don't work. So, she asks for one thing—for the witch to clip her wings.”

“But doesn't she want to fly?” Joel asked.

Lyla glared at him with an exasperated sigh.

“Oh, right, sorry.” Joel zipped up his own mouth. 

Meredith covered her smile with her hand. 

“As I was saying,” Lyla said. “Eunice wants the witch to remove her wings, and in exchange, the witch can keep them. The witch thinks she can do a lot with a pair of unicorn wings, so she grants Eunice's wish. And poof! Her wings are gone. But when she goes back to her family without her wings, she realizes how different she is. She no longer belongs there, so, she leaves them.”

Joel waited for her to continue, but she didn't. Well, that was a depressing ending. 

Meredith raised her hand to speak, so Lyla reached over and unzipped her mouth for her.

“That's a neat story, Short Stack, but what does that have to do with me?” she asked. 

Lyla simply said, “Don't you get it? You don't need wings to fly.”

Joel watched Meredith's confusion turn into clarity as though Lyla's story about a flying unicorn suddenly made sense to her. He didn't know why that worried him. 

He cleared this throat. “You know, Lyla, Meredith used to read books about magic.”

Lyla's eyes widened. “You did?”

“Yeah, but that was a long time ago.” Meredith's gaze softened as she gently threaded her fingers through Lyla's brown hair. “Anyway, your stories are much better.”

Joel didn't get to see this tender side of Meredith often, but he liked it.

With a grin, Lyla jumped from the couch and looked up at him. “Can I go see Uncle Bash now? I have a story for him too. It's about owls.”

“Sure, let's go,” he said, reaching for her hand. 

But Lyla brushed him off. “I got it, Daddy-O. I'll see you back at the house.” She waved at Meredith and bounced out the door. “See you later, Eunice.” 

“Bye, Short Stack.” Meredith waited until she was gone before saying to Joel, “If you wanted to come see me, you didn't have to use Lyla.”

“It was her idea to come over.”

“Uh-huh, sure,” she said with a smirk. 

He sighed. “Well, since I'm here, I don't want to see you fighting tonight, I mean it.”

“Sure.” The smirk stayed on her face.

“And I'm serious about the Scratch,” he said, stepping out her door. “I don't want to catch you selling that shit either.”

She winked at him. “Okay, Daddy-O.”

Meredith was being a brat, and she knew it. 

Shaking his head, he stalked back to his trailer and immediately locked himself in his bathroom. He stood over the toilet and pulled out his hard cock. Closing his eyes, he imagined bending that little brat over her couch, those tiny shorts on the floor, her panties around her ankles as he took her from behind. She wouldn't be smirking, but begging him to make her come. But he wouldn't, not until he came first. And when he did, it was to the scent of strawberries and champagne.

**

Even though it had been a quiet night at the Bang-A-Rang, Joel was exhausted. There had been no fights to break up in the dressing room, no Scratch on the floor. It seemed liked Meredith was finally listening to him.

It was after two a.m. when he stumbled into his trailer. He checked on Lyla, who was sound asleep in bed with Rufus. Then, he woke Agnes up on the couch and walked her home. When he made it back to his trailer, Bru was waiting outside for him, smoking a cigarette.

“We got a problem,” Bru said, opening his palm to show him a handful of Scratch capsules. “Queenie found it on Tina.”

“What the fuck is Tina doing with Scratch?”

Bru took a deep drag of his cigarette before exhaling the cloud of smoke. “Selling it. She said Meredith promised her half of whatever she made tonight.”

Joel clenched his jaw. Just what he needed, another pinup selling Scratch. He looked down to Meredith's trailer and saw her lights were still on.

“Get rid of the Scratch,” Joel said. “I'll take care of Meredith.”

“Need some back-up?” Bru asked, smiling behind his cigarette. He had been called into the dressing room several times to restrain her.

Joel frowned. “Nah.”

“A bit of advice: watch out for her claws.” Bru walked away, flicking his smoldering cigarette butt into the gravel.

Alone in the dark, Joel headed to Meredith's trailer. He pounded on the door until she opened. She was already dressed in her nightie. A lacy, see-through pink thing that left nothing to his imagination. The white ribbon from tonight's dance attire was still tied in her hair. 

“What the hell, Joel?” she said.

He walked right into her trailer. “What did I tell you this morning? What did I fucking tell you? No fights, and no Scratch.”

Meredith shut the door and turned back to him, batting her eyelashes. “But Joel, honey, _I_ wasn't selling Scratch.”

He towered over her, pressing their bodies together so their chests touched. He pretended not to notice the sweat trickling in between her breasts. “You think you're so fucking smart, don't you?”

Her lips curved upward. “Yeah, I do.” 

She didn't blink or move. It pissed Joel off—and turned him on—even more. 

“It's not enough for you to be the best pinup? You gotta sell Scratch on the side too?” He grabbed her wrist, staring at her tattoo. “What would Burt say?”

“Fuck Burt.” She spat out his name like it was poison. 

In that moment, Joel realized her anger wasn't directed at him. There was something more going on here.

He released her wrist and lowered his voice. “Why are you selling Scratch, Meredith?” 

She rubbed her wrist, taking her time to answer him. “I'm saving up.”

“For what?”

Meredith dropped her gaze to the floor. “To get as far away from here as possible.”

_“You don't need wings to fly.”_

Now, he understood the ending to Lyla's story. He just didn't understand why Meredith would want to leave her family. 

“Why would you do that? You have everything you need here,” he said.

She sighed. “You wouldn't understand. I've been trapped here my whole life, Joel. There's a whole world out there I want to see.”

“You're not trapped here.”

“Really? So, if I were to pack up right now and leave, you wouldn't come after me?” When Joel didn't answer, she crossed her arms. “I thought so.”

“There are people who need you, Meredith,” he said. “Lyla, Queenie...me.”

She let out a dry laugh. “No, you don't. You hate me.”

Joel flinched at her words. She didn't need her claws when it came to hurting him. 

“Hate you? I wouldn't be standing here if I didn't care,” he said. “Fuck, Meredith. The reason why I want you to stop selling Scratch is because it only harms people. I'm only watching out for you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Well, thanks, but I don't need another dad.”

Even when he was trying to be nice to her, she was a brat. 

Joel grabbed her wrist again, pulling her to him. “I'm not your dad.” She let out a little gasp right before he kissed her. Her lips were soft, and when he slipped his tongue in between them, she didn't protest. She tasted like spearmint and cigarettes. He hugged her small body, enjoying the feel of her curves against his muscles. As he deepened the kiss, he dropped his hands to squeeze her cute ass. She moaned, throwing her arms around his neck. He only stopped the kiss to pick Meredith up into his arms. She automatically wrapped her legs around his waist. 

Looking down at his face, Meredith gave him that familiar smirk. “What would Burt say?”

_You're too old for her, Joel. That's my little girl you're kissing. I trusted you to take care of her._

And Joel was the son of a bitch who didn't give a damn. 

He kissed her hard again. “Fuck Burt.”

With her legs around him, he carried Meredith to her bedroom and placed her on the mattress. He moved on top of her, his chain wallet digging into her hips and his jeans heavy and rough against her delicate nightie. Cupping the side of her face, he studied her pretty face. This girl—this woman—made him feel more alive than ever. There was no way in hell he was going to lose her.

Meredith touched his hand and gazed up at him expectantly. “You gonna kiss me again or what?”

Joel didn't waste anymore time. He kissed her hungrily, sucking on her tongue. She whimpered and clutched the front of his blue Brawlers shirt. When he moved his mouth down her neck, she giggled.

“Your beard tickles,” she said.

But Meredith didn't complain again when he bit down and started to suck on her neck. She was squirming so much under him, he had to pin her wrists to both sides of her head. He moved his mouth further south, licking the sweat he had been eyeing earlier in between her breasts. Her chest was flushed pink, moving up and down erratically as she breathlessly watched him suck on her nipples through the lace.

“Oh, god,” Meredith murmured.

Joel lifted his head and kissed her on the mouth again. “You like that?”

She smiled up at him. “I like all of it.”

Releasing her wrists, he ran his hands down her young body, squeezing her round tits before tugging her nightie over her head. She was naked now except for a pair of tiny pink panties and that white ribbon in her hair. Her skin was pale and smooth. Tummy flat and legs toned from dancing. Her perfect tits with rosy nipples were begging for him to taste them again. The real thing was far better than any of his fantasies. 

Meredith hooked her arms around his neck again. “I want your mouth on me.”

Joel didn't have to ask where.

He sat back and dragged her panties slowly off her, noticing the drenched center. When they were on the floor, he positioned himself in between her open legs and sharply inhaled at what he saw.

“You've got the prettiest cunt I've ever seen, baby,” he said.

Meredith was bare, pink, and wet—for him.

She grinned. “And you've got a dirty mouth, Joel, honey.” She dipped her fingers into her pussy. “Now, let's see you use it.”

With a growl, he slapped her hand away and lowered his mouth to her dripping slit. He plunged his tongue inside her, causing Meredith to cry out. It was like music to his ears. She was an eager little one, rolling her hips up and down on his mouth, her juices covering his beard. The sweet and salty taste of her made him feel high and drunk at the same time. He lapped up her slick like a parched man in the desert. What would the other Brawlers say if they knew how powerless Burt's daughter made him feel? 

“Joel, more,” she mewled, holding his head against her. 

And like every other time, he gave in. 

Joel sucked on Meredith's clit, shoving two thick fingers inside her pussy. She wailed above him, even though she was the one who wanted more. 

“You gonna wake the whole place up,” he said.

She smirked. “Why don't you gag me?”

_Jesus Christ..._

“Nah,” he said, slowly thrusting his fingers in and out of her. “You sound so damn sexy. I wanna hear everything.”

Meredith didn't hold back, filling the room with her whimpers and moans as he swiped his tongue on her pretty little clit and fucked her with his fingers. When she started to tremble, he raised his head to watch her unravel. 

“Joel!” She squeezed her eyes shut, her body thrashing on top of the sheets as she climaxed beautifully on his fingers. 

Still massaging her clit, Joel moved up to kiss her tenderly on the mouth. She opened her eyes and smiled glowingly at him. 

“Wow,” she sighed. 

He lifted his brows. “That's it? Wow?”

“Marvelous. Incredible. Wonderful. Fantastic. Anything else?”

Joel chuckled and kissed her again. “Brat.”

Meredith ran her hands up his body and murmured, “You're wearing too many clothes.”

“I can fix that.” He rose from the bed, standing to undress so he could sink his cock into her pink pussy. When he returned to Meredith, she was on her knees, holding up a condom wrapper. He didn't want to think about where she got those from—or why she had them.

Meredith's gaze fell to his hard dick. “You really are big all over.” She crawled across the mattress to sit in front of him and wrapped her small hand around his nine-inch cock. He groaned at her touch. “Joel, honey, how are you gonna fit all this inside me? I bet it's gonna be a tight fit.”

His jaw clenched. “I expect it to be.”

“Aww, that's sweet,” she said, stroking his cock. “You think you're the first one.”

“Who was it? Was it Matty?”

Meredith laughed. “What? Hell, no.”

“Who was it?” he asked again.

She moved her hand faster. “I'm not gonna tell you.”

“Why?” he said, blood rushing to his head.

“Because I know you're gonna find him and you're gonna kill him,” she said, rubbing his leaking tip. “Besides, you're much, much bigger than him.” She leaned forward and slowly took his cock into her mouth. 

“Fuck,” he moaned.

Meredith whimpered as she tried to swallow as much of his dick as possible before she choked and pulled back, smacking her lips. But she wasn't done with him yet. She ran her wet tongue up and down his thick, veiny member, while using her right hand to stroke his base and cup his balls. Her teary, green eyes flicked up at him, her cheeks hollowed each time she sucked and gagged on his cock. His hips involuntarily thrust forward, and he knew she had to stop or else he would come pouring down her throat. 

“Meredith, sweetie...” Joel grabbed a fistful of her hair and pushed her back. 

“Too much?” she said, wiping her mouth. “That's okay.”

Meredith ripped open the condom wrapper and carefully rolled the latex over his cock. With a playful smile, she reclined on the mattress and spread her legs. Her pink pussy lips parted for him, revealing how empty and needy she was for his cock.

“How about this?” she asked. “Is this better?”

Fucking brat.

Joel gripped the inside her thighs and kept them open as he slowly rubbed his tip of his cock against her swollen clit. Her body quivered each time he touched her.

“Please...” She lifted her hips. “Please, Joel...”

But he didn't give her want she wanted—not this time. He was going to torture her like she'd been torturing him for the past year. He ran his cock up and down her slit, refusing to enter her as much as he wanted to drive right into her pussy. 

Meredith's moans turned more desperate and high-pitched. “Stop teasing me.”

“Now you know how I feel, baby.” He rubbed her clit and she practically shouted. “Every night, watching you on that stage, dancing for all those men, moving those damn hips and shaking those tits and ass—”

“It was all for you,” she panted. 

He stopped moving. “What?”

Meredith's face softened. “I knew you were watching me, Joel. When I danced, I was dancing for you.”

His chest tightened at her confession. It was so damn pure and vulnerable—how could he not give her what she wanted now? When he moved again, it was to push his big cock inside her pink cunt. She whimpered, watching as he stretched her.

“You're so fucking tight, baby,” Joel murmured. “You gotta tell me if I'm hurting you.”

Meredith whined. “But I want it to hurt.”

At her request, he slammed his hips forward, pushing his thick cock all the way inside her. 

“Fuck!” she cried out.

Joel moved like a crazed man, adrenaline pumping through him, as he fucked Meredith harder. Watching his cock slide in and out of her pussy, he was mesmerized with how tight she felt, yet she was taking him so well. Even through the rubber, he could feel her silky walls clench around his length. 

“That's it, baby,” he said, over the sounds of their slapping, sweaty bodies. “Your sweet pussy feels so fucking amazing.”

Joel covered her body with his, kissing her and swallowing her moans, before lowering his mouth to her tits. He took a rosy nipple in between his teeth and tugged on the hard bud. She yelped, making him smile. He did the same with her other breast, sucking and licking, until she began to sob. 

Pulling away, he rolled them over so that he was on his back. “Ride me, Meredith.” 

For the first time that night, she looked uncertain. Biting her lip, she straddled him and sank down on to his cock, letting out a small whimper as he stretched her open again. But she was so damn wet that she easily took him in one motion. 

“Good girl,” he said, rubbing her leg. 

Meredith leaned back and braced her hands on his thighs, sliding up and down his dick. With each desperate and frenzied movement of her slender body, her tits bounced in sync with the little white ribbon swaying in her red hair. He could watch her do this forever. 

Joel rubbed her clit again, and she shuddered on top of him. 

“Yes, yes, right there,” Meredith gasped, fucking him faster. “Joel, oh, my god! I'm gonna come—”

He pulled her down to him, wrapping his arms around her as she rode out her orgasm. Now it was his turn. She rested her cheek on his chest, moaning, as he held her tightly to him—trapping her. He thrust his cock repeatedly into her dripping cunt until he groaned loudly and emptied himself into the condom. He couldn't remember the last time he had come so hard. 

Joel stared up at the ceiling, listening to them trying to catch their breath. “That was—” 

Meredith lifted her head, giving him a small smile. “Wow?”

He chuckled and brought her up for a soft kiss. “Wow,” Joel echoed. Even though he didn't want to, he dislodged himself from Meredith and rolled her over to her side. He got out of bed, removing the condom and disposing it in her wastebasket. 

“I'm gonna be so sore later. I don't think I can dance tonight,” she said, teasingly. “What should I tell Queenie?”

“Tell her it's because of the Scratch.” 

Meredith pouted. “You punishing me, Joel?”

He thought about it as he looked at how she was sprawled on top of her rumpled sheets, her body covered in sweat, her pussy still glistening from his tongue and cock. Despite his age, he knew it wouldn't take much to get hard again, especially with the way Meredith was looking at him right now. But instead of going for a second round, he climbed back into bed and cradled her to him. 

As they held each other, reality set in for Joel. There was Burt. There was the Scratch. There was the fact that Meredith wanted to leave, and he wasn't going to be the one to clip her wings.

“Did you really mean what you said earlier?” Meredith asked. “Do you really need me here?”

He pictured himself staring at an empty stage inside the Bang-A-Rang. How sad and lonely he would feel if she ever left. 

“I don't want you to go,” Joel said. 

She traced the compass tattooed on his chest. “But you've seen the world. Why can't I?”

He lifted her chin and thought about the oceans, the mountains, the sunsets and sunrises he had witnessed on all seven continents—none of that compared to the beauty he was looking at this very moment. 

“You're not missing much, sweetie,” he told her. “Trust me, you'll right where you belong.”

“Home,” Meredith finally admitted.

Joel kissed her. His heart racing for all the right reasons. “Home.”

THE END


End file.
